Kindness Rewarded: Raju's Encounter with Gandharvas

In a small village, nestled in hills, the sun was setting behind the trees. Raju, a ten-year-old boy, was sitting under a big banyan tree. He was watching his goats munching on grass. His best friend, Bhola, a playful and loyal dog, was with him, wagging his tail happily.

Raju stood up, dusting off his old pyjamas. He adjusted the towel tied around his waist. 'Come on, Bhola, let's take the goats home,' Raju said, starting to gather his goats. But just then, something unusual caught his eye.

Near the mango trees, Raju saw five monkeys jumping around. They weren’t like the normal monkeys he had seen before. Their tails were golden and shiny, and their fur was white like milk. The monkeys were having lots of fun, swinging from branches and chattering loudly.

'Where did these monkeys come from?' Raju wondered. He had never seen such monkeys in his village. 

Thereafter,the monkeys started coming to Raju’s village frequently. Nobody knew where they came from. Sometimes, they vanished for days, only to reappear suddenly. Whenever they came, they caused trouble. They stole food, broke things, and scared the villagers.

The village head, who was a very strict man, had finally had enough. He told everyone that the monkeys had to be chased away, even if it meant poisoning them. When Raju heard this, he felt very sad.

'How can they do such a thing?' Raju thought. He knew the monkeys were mischievous, but he didn’t want them to be hurt. Raju was a kind-hearted boy and couldn’t bear the thought of harming any creature.

The next morning, Raju took his goats to the fields. But he couldn’t stop thinking about the monkeys. He wanted to help them, but how? He spent the whole day thinking, but nothing seemed like a good idea.

In the evening, just as the sun was setting, Raju saw the monkeys again. They were heading towards the hills, through the mango orchard. 'I must find out where they live,' Raju decided. He asked Bhola to take the goats home by himself, which the clever dog did without any trouble. Then, Raju quietly followed the monkeys, making sure to stay far enough so they wouldn’t see him.

The monkeys led Raju through the trees, up the hills, and finally stopped at the entrance of an old, dark cave. Raju quickly hid behind a bush, watching them carefully.

Suddenly, the monkeys started to change. Their tails vanished, and their fur disappeared. In no time, they turned into human-like forms. But they weren’t ordinary people; they had a magical glow around them. Raju was shocked. He had never seen anything like this before!

As he watched, he felt a sneeze coming. He tried to stop it, but it was too late. 'ACHOO!' Raju sneezed loudly. The sound echoed, and the magical beings quickly turned towards him.

'Who’s there?' one of them called out. 'Come out now, or else!'

Raju, scared and shaking, slowly stepped out from behind the bush. His heart was pounding, but he knew he had to face them.

The magical beings surrounded Raju, their eyes glowing in the dim light. 'Who are you, boy? Why are you here?' one of them asked, his voice gentle but serious.

Raju gathered his courage and said, 'My name is Raju. I followed you because I wanted to know where you live. The village head wants to poison the monkeys, and I wanted to find a way to save you.'

Hearing this, the beings looked surprised. Their stern faces softened into kind smiles. One of them, who seemed to be the leader, placed a hand on Raju’s shoulder and said, 'You have a good heart, Raju. We are not ordinary monkeys; we are Gandharvas, celestial beings from a magical world.'

Raju listened carefully as the leader continued, 'A long time ago, we came to Earth to enjoy its beauty. One day, we were thirsty and hungry, and we found a hermitage. The hermit wasn’t there, and we took some food and water without asking. In our excitement, we accidentally destroyed some of his belongings. When the hermit returned and saw the mess, he became very angry. He cursed us to turn into monkeys every morning and regain our true form only at dusk. This curse would last for one whole year.'

The leader sighed deeply and continued, 'We have only three months left before the curse ends. Until then, we cannot control our actions when we are monkeys. That’s why we cause so much trouble in the village.'

Raju thought for a moment. 'If you can’t control yourselves as monkeys, then please, don’t come to our village until the curse is over,' he suggested.

The Gandharvas nodded in agreement. 'You are right, Raju. We promise not to come to your village until we are free from this curse. You have saved us, and for that, we are thankful.'

Before Raju could ask more questions, the leader said, 'Come back here in three months, at dusk, on the day the curse ends. We have something special to give you.'

Three months passed quickly. The villagers noticed that the monkeys had stopped coming to the village, and they were happy. Raju, however, kept the secret to himself, waiting for the day when he would return to the cave.

Finally, the day arrived. As the sun began to set, Raju made his way to the cave, just as the Gandharvas had told him. When he arrived, he found them waiting for him, no longer in their monkey forms but as their true, magical selves.

The leader greeted Raju with a warm smile. 'You kept your promise, and so have we,' he said. 'We want to give you a gift to show our gratitude.'

He held out a small, oval stone. It was a brilliant blue, glowing with a soft light. 'This is a magic stone,' the leader explained. 'It will grant you whatever you wish for. But remember, it will only work as long as it stays with you. If it falls into someone else’s hands, it will become just an ordinary stone.'

Raju took the stone, feeling its warmth in his hands. He couldn’t believe that something so small could be so powerful.

Raju thanked the Gandharvas and promised to use the stone wisely. With the stone in his possession, life began to change for Raju and his family. They were no longer poor, and their days were filled with happiness. The villagers noticed the change in Raju’s family but never knew the real reason behind it.

As for the Gandharvas, they returned to their magical world, free from the curse. And Raju? He continued to live a simple, happy life, always remembering the lesson he had learned.

This story teaches us several important lessons. First, it shows the value of kindness and empathy. Raju, despite being just a young boy, cared deeply for the monkeys and wanted to protect them, even when others wanted to harm them. This teaches us that we should always try to help others, no matter how small or big they are. The story also highlights the importance of bravery. Raju followed the monkeys even though he was scared, showing that true courage is doing the right thing even when it’s difficult. Finally, the Gandharvas’ curse teaches us that our actions have consequences. They made a mistake by taking something that wasn’t theirs, and they had to face the consequences of their actions. But by learning from their mistakes and making a promise to do better, they were able to earn their freedom. This reminds us to always be mindful of our actions and to correct our mistakes when we can.

Additionally, the story shows us that kindness and good deeds are often rewarded in unexpected ways. Raju’s compassion for the monkeys and his brave decision to help them, even when it was risky, didn’t go unnoticed. The Gandharvas, touched by Raju's selflessness, rewarded him with a magical stone that could grant any wish. This gift not only changed Raju’s life for the better but also showed that when we act with a pure heart, good things come our way. The magical stone symbolizes how kindness can bring about wonderful rewards, sometimes in ways we least expect. It teaches us that by helping others, we can bring happiness not just to them, but also to ourselves.

Knowledge Bank

What is the cost of kalyanotsavam?

Cost of the Kalyanotsavam ticket at Tirumala is Rs.1,000/-. One couple is allowed entry per ticket.

What is the meaning of Virat in Purusha Sukta?

This entire universe comprising of the 14 worlds is compared to a human form, This is Virat Purusha. Everything is part of his body.